Warm Quinoa Salad

I whipped this up in a cooking class yesterday. Super refeshing, quick and easy, and great for the warmer weather. The portions are for 1-2 servings specially for those who live alone.

Love Chef Mel xx

Warm Quinoa Salad

Ingredients

1/2 cup quinoa

1 cup spring water

1 inch strip kombu

1 cup sweet corn, edemame or peas

1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

1-2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon chopped basil

½ teaspoon salt

1 celery stalk finely diced

1/4 cup drained and diced roasted red peppers - can use fresh if preferred

2-3 tablespoons toasted and chopped walnuts

 

Preparation

Toast quinoa in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until it becomes aromatic, about 3-5 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring the water and kombu to a boil in a pan on a medium heat.

Add the quinoa and return to a boil.

Cover, reduce heat to a simmer and cook gently for 10 minutes.

Remove the lid and add the sweet corn (peas or edemame). Cover and continue to cook until the corn and quinoa are tender, 5 minutes longer. Remove and place into a serving bowl.
Add the celery, and peppers and mix gently.

Whisk the lemon zest, lemon juice, oil, basil and salt in a small bowl. Toss to combine with the quinoa. Serve with chopped walnuts and fresh basil.

Tunisian Carrot Salad

A sweet and easy version of a Tunisian salad to add spring in your meals. Enjoy!

Love Chef Mel xx

Tunisian Carrot Salad with Radishes and Olives

Ingredients

2-3 carrots grated

4 radishes finely sliced or grated
1/2 pear grated

¼ cup chopped green olives

1-2 teaspoons olive oil

1 clove garlic minced

1-2 teaspoons ground cumin

Paprika (optional)

2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Dash ume vinegar

6 tablespoons finely minced fresh cilantro, parsley, or lambs lettuce

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Preparation

Place the carrots, radish, and olives into a bowl. Add a dash of ume vinegar and mix gently.

Warm oil, garlic, cumin, and paprika in small skillet over low heat. Stir oil mixture into vegetables.

Add the lemon juice to skillet to remove any last bits in pan, and then stir into the salad.

Add the cilantro or other herbs, grated pear and mix gently. Let sit for 15 minutes at room temperature to blend the flavors.

Serve garnished with toasted sesame seeds.

Russian Cabbage Soup

A super, easy soup full of zip and zing that can be made in a jiffy. Wonderful for this uplifting time of year. Enjoy!

Love Chef Mel xx

Russian Cabbage Soup

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small turnip julienned
1 carrot julienned
1/2 onion, sliced
1 stalk celery, sliced
4-6 cups spring water

1 cup round cabbage, shredded
2-4 tablespoons sauerkraut

1 tablespoon caraway seeds lightly crushed

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon fresh dill finely chopped

Preparation:

Warm the oil in a pot.

Add the onion and sauté for a minute. Follow with the carrots and continue for sauté for another minute. Repeat with the turnip, and then the celery.

 Add the, cabbage, kombu, a pinch of salt, and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil on a medium flame.

Cover and reduce heat; simmer until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve hot, garnished with fresh dill, sauerkraut and caraway seeds.

Hiziki for One

Hiziki with tahini and tofu

Hiziki is a wonderful addition to any meal. It is high in fiber and packed with minerals especially iron, calcium, and magnesium. This nutritious sea vegetable has a rich taste and delicate texture. When combined with tahini and tofu it makes for a nourishing dish with a deliciously unique flavor. Super great for the wintery time of the year. Enjoy! Love Chef Mel xx

Oh yes, and one more thing, hiziki is great for your hair!

Recipe: Ingredients: ¼ cup hiziki rinsed and soaked for 15 minutes - make sure use enough water as it will double in size 1 tablespoon tahini ¼ block tofu mashed Spring water 1 tablespoon ume vinegar Few drops shoyu 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley Preparation: Strain the hijiki and place into a pan. I don't use the soaking water because it is too salty tasting. Instead, use it for watering your plants Add enough fresh water to almost cover the hiziki and bring to a boil on a medium flame. Simmer with a lid on a medium low flame for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, add the tahini, ume vinegar and few drops of shoyu to the tofu and mash well. Add the tofu mixture to the hiziki and continue to cook for another 5 minutes. Mix gently. If there is an excess of water remove lid and simmer on a medium high flame. Stir from time to time. Add the parsley, mix through and serve. Bring to a boil on a medium flame Mash the tofu Add the tahini, shoyu and ume vinegar Add the tofu mixture to the hiziki Add in the parsley Enjoy xx

Rustic Apple Raspberry Pie for One

Rustic Apple Raspberry Pie

Many times folks say they cannot make a pie that is small enough for one person. Ok, two people if you are feeling generous. So here is one that is super easy and extremely yummy.

Enjoy and happy holidays.

Love Chef Mel xx

 

Ingredients:

3/4 cup flour – any kind works, wholewheat, oat, spelt etc

1/8-1/4 cup coconut oil warmed

Sea salt

1/4 cup apple juice

1 teaspoon kuzu diluted in a little water

2 medium apples cut into chunks

12 raspberries

juice ½ tangerine

generous pinch of cinnamon

1 tablespoon kuzu diluted in a little cold water

1 tablespoon rice syrup

Spring water

Preparation:

Pre-heat the oven at 350 degrees

Place the flour and 1/8 teaspoon sea salt into a mixing bowl and whisk lightly.

Add the warmed coconut oil and mix together with your fingers until it resembles bread crumbs.

Add enough water to bind into a dough. 

Be gentle at this point otherwise dough will become hard.

Roll out the dough to fit a 5 inch dish.

Lift gently and place into the dish.

Don’t worry if it breaks apart.

Place the pieces into the dish and gently press together.

Lightly prick the base with a fork.

Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes.

Remove and let cool for a few minutes.

While the pie shell is baking, place the apples, cinnamon, pinch sea salt, tangerine and apple juice into a pan. Bring to a boil on a medium flame and simmer for about 5-10 minutes.

You can do the washing up while the apples cook!

Remove the apples from the pan, and place into the pie shell.

Add the raspberries. 

Leave the juice from cooking the apples in the pan. Add the diluted kuzu and heat on a low flame, stirring until the juice thickens.

Pour over the apples and raspberries.

Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove and allow to cool before serving.

Rub oil into flour to resemble bread crumbs

Roll out the pastry

Place into a pie dish and prick base with a fork

place apples, juice and cinnamon into a pan

Place cooked apples and raspberries into the pie shell

Add the kuzu to the apple juice and stir until thickens

pour the kuzu over the fruit and pop into the oven

 And now for the fun part - relishing every morsel!

Ready to Eat!

Quick and Easy Dishes for One - Light and Simply Stewed

Light and Simply Stewed

A wonderful and easy recipe that tastes fabulous. You can also add a couple of slices of fried tofu or tempeh for a richer flavor. Wonderful at this time of year as things begin to settle down and cooler weather is around the corner.  This dish is gently strengthening, warming and relaxing.
Enjoy! Love Chef Mel xx

Ingredients

½ onion cut into chunks

½ carrot roll cut

1/3 sweet potato cut into chunks

6 pieces squash

1 tablespoon finely chopped basil or cilantro

1 heaping teaspoon white miso diluted in a little water

Dash sesame or olive oil

1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger

Pinch sea salt

Spring water

3 inch strip kombu or wakame

Preparation

Place the vegetables in sections around a pot.

Add enough water to half cover the vegetables.

Pop in a strip of kombu or wakame

Add a pinch of salt and cover with a lid.

Bring to a boil and simmer for about 15-20 minutes.

Add the diluted miso, basil, ginger and a dash of oil.

Turn off the lid and let sit for a minute.

Mix gently and serve. There should be a fair bit of liquid which makes the dish relaxing and nourishing.

Quick and Easy Dishes for One - Simply Salad

Hallo everyone
I thought it might be fun to show a series of some really easy dishes for one person. The first is an inspiration from my wonderful brother, Simon Brown, who made a similiar salad when I last stayed with him.

This dish is surprizingly tasty. The flavors dance well together and the crisp tang from the brown rice vinegar adds a sparkle of energy.
Enjoy! Love Chef Mel x

Simply Salad

Ingredients:

1 celery stalk sliced on the angle

2 radishes sliced into half moons

¼ apple sliced into small chunks

1/3 cucumber sliced on the angle

1-2 teaspoons brown rice vinegar

Pinch sea salt

2 walnuts or 3 almonds finely chopped

Preparation:

Place all the ingredients into a bowl.

Mix gently and let sit for about 10 minutes.

Serve

Enjoy a Deep and Restful Sleep

Many people today suffer from poor, interrupted sleep. Here are a few quick, easy, and natural tips to give you a great nights rest.

Avoid caffeine, alcohol, stimulants, and chemicals that prevent sleep.

The stimulating effects of nicotine and caffeine take hours to wear off and can wreak havoc on quality sleep. Alcohol might make you sleepy at first but it can disturb sleep later on in the night

Create a Bedroom that is Sleep-Inducing

Create a quiet, dark and restful atmosphere in the bedroom. Use a fan to help circulate the air and keep the room cool. Make sure to close blinds and curtains at night to make the room really dark.

Use cotton for sheets and other natural fabrics in the bedroom. Synthetics give off static electricity that can be un-relaxing and draining.

Turn off cell phones and keep EMR to a minimum in the bedroom.

Keep computers, TVs, and work materials out of the room to strengthen the connection between the bedroom and sleep.

Make a Smooth Transition to Sleep

Create a smooth transition from day to sleep time with relaxing activities.

Take an aromatherapy or Epsom salt bath (the rise and fall in body temperatura promotes drowsiness), read a book, do a soothing foot saok, massage feet or practice relaxation exercises.

Avoid stressful, stimulating activities, doing work or discussing emotional issues.

Use essential oils such as lavender and orange to feel calm and encourage good sleep. Mix a few drops with wáter in a spray bottle and give your pillowcase a spritz.

Go to Sleep When You’re Really Tired

If you’re not asleep after 15 minutes, stay in bed (if you not feeling anxious), or go to another room. Do something relaxing, like deep breathing, visualization, reading or listening to soothing music. Keep the room dim as bright lights stimulate the internal clock.

No Clock Watching

Turn the clock away so you don´t watch it if you can't sleep. This can increase anxiety.

Use the Light and Get Outside

Exposure to a regular pattern of light and dark is very important. Open the curtains when it is light in the morning and get up. Make sure to go outside during the day for at least 10-15 minutes in all kinds of weather.

Nap Early or Not at All.

Take naps before 5.00pm and try to keep them between 10-30 monutes.

Avoid Late Night Eating

Stop eating 2-3 hours before sleep. Avoid heavy meals in the evening.

Balance Fluid Intake

Enjoy teas in the evening that are relaxing and sleep inducing.  Peppermint, chamomile, kukicha twig tea with rice syrup and lemon, or hot apple juice with cinnamon are great examples. 


Sooth the Liver

If you wake up at around 4am and have a hard time getting back to sleep, make sure to have lightly cooked vegetables and salads during the day. Sprinkle lemon juice on greens. Enjoy sauerkraut and granny smith apples. Watch alcohol, heavy meals, and salty foods. Hot apple juice with lemon or a glass of water with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in the evening can help. Apple cider vinegar is also good for preventing leg cramps at night.

Exercise Early

Stop any strenuous exercise 3 hours before sleep. Instead, gentle stretching and evening yoga can be enjoyed as a way to relax before bed.

Manage stress

Learn simple meditation and breathing exercises to help calm the mind and body. Work on slow and deep breathing. Inhale for 5 seconds, pause for 3, then exhale to a count of 5. Start with 8 repetitions; gradually increase to 15.

Keep a Sleep Diary

Record your sleep patterns over two weeks and note what seems to make it worse or better

Write all your worries down in a notebook before sleep. Be detailed.

End your day with 3 blessings. Simple things that have been positive during the day.

Listen to a Bedtime Story

Enjoy books on tape, visualization tapes or hemi sync music for sleep

Increase Tryptophan

Tryptophan is an amino acid that can help create sleepiness.

Tryptophan boosting foods include, leafy greens, sesame seeds, sea vegetables, and oats.

Melatonin

Some people who have trouble sleeping have low levels of melatonin. Research shows that taking a melatonin supplement can help to regulate sleep/wake patterns

Darkness produces more melatonin, which indicates to the body to prepare for sleep. (That is why a dark room is important) Light reduces melatonin production and signals to the body to get ready to be awake.

Although it is best to be able to sleep without ‘extra’ help, melatonin can be extremely useful in getting back on track especially if someone is travelling or has work patterns that are constantly changing. And some people have a harder time naturally producing melatonin as they age.

Melatonin boosting foods include, Brown rice, oats, barley, oranges and sweet corn. Pineapple and bananas are said to contain the highest plant based levels.

Valerian

Valerian is a staple medicinal herb used throughout Europe to encourage deep and restful sleep. Can be taken as a capsule or a tea.

Nourish the Kidneys

Take an Epsom salt baths, hot water foot soak, or massage the feet before bed.

Place a hot water bottle on the lower back.

Stop any coffee, alcohol, sodas, and sugar.

Increase whole living plant foods especially beans, miso and vegetable soups, dried daikon, shiitake, and sea vegetables.

Watch salty, dry foods like cookies, crackers, chips.

Good night and sleep tight xx